Jeopardy in the Afterlife
by lordlink13
Summary: Sequel "War in the Afterlife": Something goes wrong, and Atemu goes into a 1000 year coma. When he awakens, he finds out that the Afterlife has changed. Someone is behind it, but who? Can Atemu, Shalina, and Shelby find out before life destruction.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: A Difficult Truth

_After living three lives and dying four deaths, Atemu finally decided to rest in peace. To see him every morning now, anyone can see his 5000-year age is weighing down on him. Though only 15 going on 16 in body, his mind and spirit are 5000._

_Atemu looks like he has a burden on his shoulders still._

_How would I know? I'm his father, and things like that do not escape my attention._

_I'm positive that Shalina, my daughter-in-law has also noticed his condition. His eyes, she answered when I had asked, 'If you look deep enough, you can see a dark shadow in the depths of his crimson eyes.'_

_Atemu…my only son…one that is stronger and older than I in spirit and mind. If he had not been the Egyptian Gods' chosen one, the Afterlife would have been taken by the Dark Gods. He may ignore his place, but he will come to accept it eventually._

_-Akhenamkhenan, Atemu's father_

* * *

_He is less active nowadays. It is as if Atemu suddenly lost everything. His condition now reminds my friends and I how he had been when he was the other spirit in my body._

_I can see it in his actions; he is suffering from a burden of which I cannot name._

_-Yugi Mutou, Atemu's dear friend_

* * *

_He seems to have lost the will to learn._

_-Mahado, one of Atemu's priests and childhood friend_

* * *

_He has lost his challenging look._

_-Isis, Kalim, and Shada, Atemu's priests and priestess_

* * *

_I fear that we have lost sight of the Pharaoh or he has lost sight of himself._

_-Seto, Atemu's priest and cousin_

* * *

_My dear nephew…you must find yourself soon. It is not worth resting in peace without you._

_-Akhenaden, Atemu's priest and uncle_

* * *

_My Pharaoh…Atemu…like your father, as a second father, I miss you. You are lost from this world, including the Afterlife. Losing sight of yourself is leading you down the path of destruction. When you find yourself, find your family and friends. Only then will you be able to rest in peace…and harmony._

_-Siamun Muran, Atemu's advisor_

* * *

_I cannot say much to you anymore, Atemu. You are not here beside me at night. You are not here holding me in your arms. You are not here talking with your family and friends. You are just not here._

_All I wish is that you return soon…to your family…to your friends…to me, your wife. Without you, I feel unworthy to even exist anywhere. There is no better place that I would rather be than beside you, but…you have lost yourself, and I no longer wish for a place._

_There just isn't a place for me to exist._

_You are just not here._

_-Shalina, Atemu's wife_

* * *

_When you are not here, Shalina isn't here either. Life without either of you is a bore. Come back soon._

_-Shelby, Atemu's wife's yami and advisor_

* * *

_Where are you, my husband?_

_-Shalina_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: The Lost One

He sat down in his chair behind his desk. The room was pitch black because the blinds were closed and the surtains were drawn. Despite that, he could see perfectly well.

Notes from his family and friends waited on his desk, but he did not even notice.

"Five years," he murmured to himself. Closing his eyes, he thought back five years ago. Then, he had fought the Dark Gods with his family and friends beside him. Then, he was a happy man with his wife by his side. Five years ago...

Now, he was not even himself. Five years ago on _that_ day, he had lost himself in the horizon. Since then, he suffered. It was a dark shadow creeping up on him from behind no matter where he was or who he was with. Five years of internal suffering...if only he could make himself tell everyone else, share the burden...

But he couldn't do that. No one would be able to handle it. He was the only one who could carry that dreaded burden for so long. No one else needed to suffer as he was.

Opening his eyes, he looked at the walls in his room. Shelves of books, pictures of him, and many other things lined the walls. There was one thing that he had once fancied but now dreaded even more than his burden. An uniform of the Dark God Slayer, his Guardian form.

He reached over his desk toward a button. Then, he stopped. If he pushed that button, everything in this room would be sealed away for a millennia. If he pushed the button, he might be sealing himself away for a millennia. He thought it over. Did he really want himself back? Or was that only what his family and friends wanted?

He pushed the button.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Mental Pain  


"Has anyone seen Atemu?" Shalina asked, worry sounding in her voice.

"No, sorry," Joey answered.

"Oh no," Shalina mumbled and left the room.

Joey looked at Yugi, who's gaze had lowered to the ground. "Hey, man, Atemu's around somewhere," he said, hoping to cheer Yugi up a bit. Yugi only sighed, got up, and left the room. Joey glanced to Tristen and Tea for support.

Both of them threw their hands up in the air, and silently, they put away the game _Risk_ that they were playing.

* * *

"There you are; everyone was looking for you," Akhenamkhenan said, relieved. 

"I don't see why," Atemu said, sharply. Akhenamkhenan felt as if a knife had pierced his heart. "It's not like there is trouble anymore," his son continued, blowing fake smoke and replacing his candy cigerette in his mouth.

Akhenamkhenan sat down on the roof next to his son. "Atemu," he said, uncertain of how to approach the subject, "Something's different about you."

Atemu blew a puff of fake smoke in the shape of a galloping horse.

"Everyone has noticed it. It's as if you..." Akhenamkhenan struggled with the words, "Lost yourself."

"On that day five years ago," Atemu said, sticking the candy cigerette into his hand. His face stiffened as if angered. "Why do _you_, of all people, care what's different about me," he snapped suddenly.

"Atemu," his father said, but his son cut him off.

"It's my problem, not anyone else's." The Pharaoh's voice was sharp and had a tint of anger in it. "No one else should worry."

"But we do, Atemu-."

"Well, you shouldn't!"

"It's hard to pretend that nothing's wrong with you, Atemu," his father pressed. "No, I want you to stay put!" Atemu sat back down, lighting a mint-flavored cigerette (his least favorite kind). "Atemu, you're changing, and no one feels safe near you. Your patience is gone within seconds, and you always walk out before you explode. Everyone knows that you're suffering on the inside, and we all care about you."

"_WHY?_"

"Because we love you as a son, husband, cousin, nephew, leader, and friend, Atemu. We'll all here for you, Atemu, especially Shalina and I. We can all help you if only you allow us."

"I don't want your help!" Atemu stood up and faced his father, his crimson eyes flashing with anger. "If I wanted it, I'd have used for it, but guess what, I didn't! If I don't tell anyone my problem, then that means I don't _want _people to know my problem! It's my burden, not anyone else's!" Atemu jumped off the roof, landing lightly on his feet, and ran away from the house.

A tear ran down Akhenamkhenan's face.

* * *

"We have got to find out what's wrong with him," Siamun said, determinedly. "It's not right without him." 

"What could be the cause that made him like this?" Yugi asked no one in particular. "If we can find the cause, then we can find out how to help him."

"How _would_ we find the cause?" Shelby asked. "That is the question you want to ask." She glanced over at her hikari who sat in deep thought in the corner. "Have any ideas, Shalina?" she asked.

Shalina shook her head. She was grasping the Fire Pendant around her neck, eyes closed as if in concentration.

"Do you know where he is?" Akhenamkhenan asked.

"By the river, close to where Mana is practicing her magic with Mahado," the Pharaoh's wife answered. She stood up, opening her eyes and releasing the Fire Pendant. "I'm going for a walk."

"Don't get Atemu angry," Seto called after her.

She, who would normally have stuck out her tongue at her husband's cousin, did not even look at him as she left.

* * *

Atemu picked up a rock, throwing it up in the air to measure the gravity pull on it. Then, he tossed it into the water. He watched as it skipped eight times before falling underneath the surface. 

What was he doing? Skipping rocks. No, mentally, what was he doing? Thinking of one thing that he should not have done five years ago.

Deep inside his heart, he foresaw the future; he knew what would happen. And he knew that the Egyptian Gods did not know the future. Was he the only one? Everything is stalling because he was awake, walking around and scaring the heck out of everyone in his family.

Who was he? He wasn't the Pharaoh or the Dark God Slayer. He was constantly losing his nerves and losing his temper a lot nowadays. What was he becoming?

As he blew a jaguar out of smoke, he glanced at the candy cigerette in between his two first fingers. Something deep nside him was going completely wrong. Was it because he sealed himself away for a millennia? Or was it because of that little secret of his?

Suddenly, his head throbbed painfully. He brought one hand to his head, wincing in pain. Gradually, the pain increased, and he looked around quickly. Mana was in sight, practicing her water magic.

"Mana!" he cried as his head felt like it exploded. He fell to his knees, dropping his cigerette - it vanishing into thin air - and clenched his head with both hands. "Mana!"

His entire body hurt; he was trembling all over. He felt numb, yet he felt the pain. Wave after wave of agony, his head almost seemed to rip apart. He was in so much agony, he barely felt the soft touch of hands on him.

A deathly scream erupted from his lips. He was on his back, losing consciousness. What was happening to him? He wa a mass of pain.

Then, as sudden as it had come forth, the pain dulled. He lay still with his eyes closed; he was silent. For some reason, he found something terribly wrong. It was too silent. What had happened?

"Shalina!" Mana's voice called, desperately, "Come quick!"

"I'm here," Shalina voice answered. He heard his wife drop next to him and felt her coll fingers on his neck, feeling for a pulse. "No," his wife whispered. His head was titled back as someone listened at his chest.

There was something wrong! His heart had stopped! Yet he lay there, awake but unable to move. He couldn't have died again...in the Afterlife!

His wife was performing CPR on him, and he couldn't do a thing. Talking and moving was beyond him now, let alone breathing.

"Get Father and Mahado," Shalina snapped at Mana.

All he could do was think!

"Atemu," Shalina whispered. He felt her mental touch on his mind and knew that she would not pass his mental barriers. He couldn't put them down, but she would knew that he was still there. A dead person's mental barriers would be destroyed if they were all dead. He was only physically dead, but either way, he wanted desperately to tell his wife the secret he had kept from everyone for the past five years.

But he couldn't.

"Hang in there, Atemu," Shalina said. Her voice was growing distant rapidly. "We'll get you out, don't worry..."

The last thing he remembered was the soft touch of his wife's hand over his heart.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: Awakening  


_I remember nothing before or after. I don't even think there was a before and after. I had awaken to find myself in one of those experimental rooms where I was in a tube of red water, strapped in and connected with a breathing mask and a lot of those wires. What had happened?_

_I dimly remember having a secret, but now, I do not remember what that secret was. It had to be terrible if I had gone into a 1000-year coma for it._

_I just don't remember._

_-Atemu_

* * *

"Do you think he will ever awaken?" 

"It's been years. The Goddess wouldn't want us to pull the plug, but he's costing us the most out of everyone else."

"What do you think happened to those two women?"

"The ones who broke out? I don't know, but they are of no worry to us. All I know is that they're the Pharaoh's family, or friends. They wouldn't dare steal him out because he'll die if he is taken out of that tube before he's at least awaken once."

He wondered who the speakers were. He didn't know any of the voices, but they did sound male. He wasn't awake; like the males said, but he didn't care. He was waking all the way soon, but not with all of those men around. He fell deepily into his memories that had been replaying for him for 1000 years.

* * *

Darkness... 

That was all he saw...

All of his memories ceased to play in his mind...

All those feelings...happy, sad, evil, pain, joy, fun...everything...

They all ceased to exist as his body and spirit began to awaken.

"He's stirring," a familiar voice whispered.

"Calm yourself," another familiar voice answered. "Let him go as slow as he wants."

"I don't _want_ him to take his time though! I don't want those retarded scientists to see him awaken. You know how much they depend on him now."

"Don't worry; they haven't used him for anything, Shalina."

Shalina...why was that such a familiar name...he knew the voice and knew the name, but he couldn't quite picture the face.

"Shelby, come on; make him go faster!"

"Do you _want_ your husband to be mentally or physically retarded?"

Shelby...Shalina's advisor and girlfriend to Bakura...that was the other woman speaking...

What did Shelby say about Shalina and him? He was Shalina's husband! But what was his name?

"No," Shalina responded, quietly.

"Don't rush him then, Shalina," Shelby said.

He opened his eyes, seeing nothing but red at first. Then, he saw bubbles in the red, and knew that he was in water. But how was he breathing? He reached up towards his mouth.

There was a gasp. "Shelby, look! He's moving and his eyes are open!"

"Hold on, Shalina! Let him speak first. He has to go slowly and figure things out. Be quiet!"

He touched a breathing mask over his mouth and nose. That was the thing giving him the oxgyen. He slowly reached forward into the red liquid, and his hand touched glass.

So he was in a tube full of red water...how good was that? His hand moved back toward his face and felt over it. There were wires attached to his body. As he continued to feel, he found his chest bare with little things attached all over. He wore pants so he wasn't naked completely, but his feet were bare as he could feel the bottom of the tube. Boy, was it cold!

He closed his eyes again and formed a picture of the tube that held him in his mind. It was quite clear. He felt a tingling sensation run through him, and he instantly pictured the tube cracking and releasing him.

There was a loud crash, and he knew that he was free. The liquid ran free, and he was left there, standing until his legs gave way to gravity and he fell forward. A pair of arms caught him.

"Maybe you could've been a bit louder so security could have heard you," Shelby snapped.

One word flashed across his mind then: _Atemu_. He knew instantly that it was his name.

"Atemu, you're alive and awake," Shalina cried, hugging him tightly for it was she who had caught him.

Atemu looked around, suddenly feeling very cold. "Shalina...what happened?" he asked, weakily.

"Not here, Atemu," Shalina said, seriously. "We need to get you out of here. Shelby, will you do the honors, please?"

Shelby can toward them with a small Ipod looking item. She tapped Shalina, Atemu and then herself on the forehead three times. Then, she pushed a small button on the side. Atemu felt suddenly nauseous as they began to spin around and around.

The next thing he knew, they slammed right in seats.


	5. Chapter 5

**Lordlink13: Sorry for the delay. I'm sort of busy with the other story I'm writing at the same time as this one (a.k.a. the sequel to "Duelist Knights") and I'm also working on a real story. Just be glad I don't have that much homework since I had a study in school to get it all mostly done. And another thing, my mom is totally against me using fanfiction, but I've used it for a few years before she found out. I managed to get away with "I only like reading the stories; I don't write any and put them on." I'm a liar to my parents, but what the heck? I can type up chapters all week long, but I'll only have Mondays to put them on because that's really the only day I'll have an hour at home alone while my mom's at my sister's dance class. Forgive me, but I'll only have Mondays to put up new chapters, and the time will be around 4 to 5 in the afternoon. So long around there. Hope you're all enjoying this story, and a quick request. No swearing in reviews please, and don't even bother asking me for swearing in my stories. I'll put them in only if I can't think of any other way of expressing someone's feelings. Now, onto the story.**

Chapter 4: Explanation

"What the-?"

Atemu looked around to see the inside of a normal looking car, except the front part was full of computers. Lights, buttons, controls, headsets, it was a complete control room…just in the front of a car.

"Home sweet home," Shalina murmured, releasing him. Shelby moved up into the cockpit and put on a pair of headphones.

"Where to, Shalina?" she asked.

There came an alarm from outside the car. Atemu, who was closest to the windows, looked out and saw a large gray building. Was that where he had been keep?

"Let's try Baker Road this time," Shalina said. As Atemu watched, the building suddenly vanished and was replaced by a small apartment. "Good enough; we're still invisible?"

"Heck yes, Shalina."

"Good." Shalina looked at her husband who was slumped against the window, his eyes slowly closing. "We'll explain later, Atemu," she said, sweetly. "Rest for now."

Without any longer struggle, Atemu closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

Shalina watched him for a few minutes before she slid off her seat. She stretched her husband out across the backseat and began taking off all the little wires on his body. Then, she pulled out a sweatshirt from the back of the front seat and put it over his head. She also placed a pillow under his head and a blanket over him.

"I think he's all set, Shalina," Shelby said. Her hikari threw her a harsh glare before kissing her husband's forehead.

"1000 years, Shelby," Shalina said, climbing into the other cockpit. "I have more than one reason to take care of him like I'm his mother. One of which is that he never really _had_ a real mother."

Shelby nodded. "Fear, the Dark Goddess…in a way, I don't want to tell him everything."

"I'll be explaining all of it, and _I_ don't want to," Shalina snapped.

Her yami backed off a bit. "So what's the plan?"

"How would I know?"

"You're the organized one, _and_ since the Pharaoh is passed out right now, his _Queen_ has to be in charge."

Shalina sighed. "I really don't know." She pushed a button, and a small drawer popped open. She reached in and took out a blue cube. "I wonder if he remembers anything," she whispered.

"The coma might have messed up something."

Shalina looked at her yami. "Check," she said.

Shelby pushed a button on her side, and a keyboard flipped into view with a computer screen. She rapidly typed away on the board. The screen glowed blue for a few seconds and then turned black. On it was a picture of Atemu off to the side and three colored bars next to it. One was really low while the other two were full. Atemu's magic level was underneath his picture.

"Everything looks fine, except his strength," Shelby said. Shalina glanced back at her husband who had turned his head in his sleep. "We'll have to ask him, Shalina."

"It can wait until he's awake. Anyway, I'm tired." Shalina tilted her chair back all the way, and once she got comfortable and had closed her eyes, she was fast asleep.

* * *

Atemu turned his head again and then opened his eyes. It was dark, and he couldn't see anything. It took him awhile, but he realized where he was.

He felt around with his hand and found the top of the backseat. Slowly, he eased himself up, sliding back so he sat against the car door.

His head started spinning, and he had to hold onto the seat to avoid falling over. He heard a groan and a soft click. Someone had turned over and had pushed a button.

A soft light turned on, and Atemu saw that it had been his wife who had accidentally pushed the button with her knee. He noticed a flash of blue in Shalina's hand and moved to grab it.

"Atemu," his wife moaned, turned away and clenching the hand that held whatever it was. E cursed silently, sitting up completely and placing his feet on the ground, or the inside of the car.

It was much larger than a normal car. Both of the front seats could be bent all the way back without touching the backseat!

Atemu reached for the blue thing again, having to pry his wife's hand off it. He took it and examined it.

It was the Cube he had created five years ago during the Afterlife War! The thing he completed with Frosty! (**Note: He doesn't remember anything about the coma.**)

He felt it over, remembering all the uses he had it for. It was a useful tool, and he wanted to use it again. It hit him hard; his journal was recorded on it!

He brought it close to his lips and whispered, "_Cube, activate_."

There was a click as Shalina over again in her sleep, her knee hitting the light button to shut it off. It didn't matter as the Cube unfolded itself into a blue book.

There it was! The last sentence on the last page of his journal! The cause of his coma…the secret of his! There is was!

* * *

Shalina opened her eyes and rubbed them. At first, all she saw was blue, and then the blue moved.

"Morning, Shalina," her husband said, looking down at her upside down.

"Morning," she answered with a smile. And then, an expression of surprise crossed her face. "Wait a minute!"

Atemu put a finger to his lips. "You don't want to wake Shelby," he said. Then, he grunted and moved away from her. She sat up and turned to him.

His Cube had taken the form of a laptop. He was typing away at it.

It was then that Shalina realized the familiar shadow look in her husband's eyes. It was like it was 1000 years ago; Atemu remembered whatever dark thing it was that forced him into a coma and a physical death!

"Atemu, you're-."

"I know."

Shalina felt hurt, and as if sensing her emotions, Atemu looked up at her. His borw lowered in sympathy as he placed his Cube laptop to the side. He motioning her over, and she moved into the backseat with him.

She felt his arms wrap around her, and she relaxed.

"Shalina, it's a secret I've kept from everyone for five years…1005 years now. I'm going to tell you. Think back 1005 years ago. What was happening?"

"The Afterlife War."

"Yes, now think of before Harm…before Blood…and after Pain and Dark."

Shalina pulled away from him and stared. "What are you trying to say about Fear?" she asked, worriedly.

"_I allowed her to live._"

It hit her hard. Shalina shook her head. "I saw you kill her as the Hunter…the Dark God Slayer…"

Atemu was shaking his head. "I made her unconscious for 1000 years, like what happened to me. She's our enemy now, and she's had a head start of five years before I awoke."

"So you know everything."

"Yes, I do."

"Then what are we going to do?" asked a sleepy Shelby, who had just awoken.

Atemu looked at her. "It depends on what _you two_ have been doing these past five years."

"Barely anything, to be honest, Atemu," Shalina said.

Her husband looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "What _did_ you two do?"

"Well, let's see," Shelby said with a sarcastic tone. "After two years of being in a tube like yours, a minor coma for everyone, we escaped and found a way into the private lab located in the basement. There, we found things, like your Cube."

"That became our hideout for a year where we invented this," Shalina said. "She patted the seat she had slept on, indicating they made the car.

"Brilliant," Atemu complimented.

"Other than that, we've been waiting for you to wake up," Shelby finished. "Shalina was basically staring at you for two years worth of nights."

"Shut up, Shelby," her hikari snapped. Atemu grabbed her into a hug before she released her fire magic on Shelby.

Then, once she was chilled, Atemu moved into one of the front seats.

"What are we going to do?" Shelby and Shalina asked in unison.

Atemu frowned. "Before we do anything, you have to show me how to _use_ this thing and then I'll see what kind of adjustments I'll need to make."


End file.
